Particularly when homosexuality is as American as apple pie. The 15th president of the United States, James Buchanan, almost certainly was gay. Finally, prize-winning historian James W. Loewen, author of "Lies My Teacher Told Me," has outed President James Buchanan, who served as chief executive during tumultuous events on the eve of the Civil War, and had more pre-White House domestic and international expertise than all of the current crop of presidential wannabes put together. In Prof. Loewen's newest book, "Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong," the scholar asserts that Buchanan's long-time living companion, William Rufus King, was referred to as "Aunt Fancy" by that era's Beltway crowd. Apparently, Buchanan's sexual orientation was widely rumored around Washington, to the point that King was called "Mrs. Buchanan."

President James Buchanan was, as they say, a life-long bachelor. That, of course, is code. As usual, the truth is cloaked in historical distortion. You must read between the lines, and connect the dots. "As a young man," writes "Historic Traveler's" Lisa Manhart, Buchanan "committed an unspecified indiscretion that angered his intended bride, and she broke off their engagement. When she died of an illness a few months later, her family forbade him to attend her funeral. Buchanan was devastated, and he disappeared for a time. In the absence of a Mrs. Buchanan, his niece Harriet Lane served as his hostess ... often entertaining guests by playing the piano. When Buchanan moved into the White House as president in 1857, she assumed the social duties of first lady."

While Secretary of State in 1848, James Buchanan had purchased Wheatland, his 22-acre country estate in Lancaster, Penn., attracted to the "privacy, quiet, and beauty of its rural beauty," Manhart notes, and there, he would eventually lead "the life of a country gentleman." The Pennsylvania native was born April 23, 1791, second of 11 children. After graduating from Dickinson College in Carlisle at age 18, Buchanan studied law in Lancaster, and plunged into local politics. Voters elected him state representative in 1814, and he served two terms in the new capital of Harrisburg. Buchanan took his next step up the political ladder in 1820 when he was elected to the first of four terms in the House of Representatives as a Federalist and then, as the Federalist party disintegrated, a fifth term as a Democrat in 1828. President Andrew Jackson appointed him as minister to Russia, where he served in 1832 and 1833. In December of 1833 he was elected to the Senate, where he served until he was appointed Secretary of State under President James K. Polk in 1845.

Miss Nancy & Aunt Fancy. How cute. It seems that there is circumstantial evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that gives me, and lots of other folks (according to the polls) the green light that he was, indeed, gay. JUST look at his portraits.It couldn't be more obvious, (to me anyway).

As long as he performed his duties of office it is neither something to celebrate OR castigated him for!Just like Electing a person SOLEY on the basis of Skin Color or Gender is hypocritical and unproductive.

A "God fearing man" and your "grandmother's cousin" means nothing in the case of this.And just because he "lost the love of his life and chose to remain single," the latter being of your opinion, doesn't mean that he wasn't gay.

President James Buchanan gay? He was also the president that sent federal troops to put down an a supposed insurrection in Utah. There was no insurrection in Utah but on the way they had to stop the trouble in the "bleeding Kansas" conflict. Seems the gays and Mormons have a longer history then first thought.

There is no such thing as a heterosexual or a homosexual. Nearly all humans are sexual. Who they choose to have sexual congress with is merely a matter of opportunity, social/cultural pressure,and preference. I see no direct empirical evidence that Buchanan engaged in homosexual behavior but I don't believe for a moment that he remained celibate his entire adult life. Based on existing evidence I would speculate he may have fully embraced the philosophy that "variety is the spice of life".

I don't really care one way or the other if he was or wasn't. However technically if you really think about it were all gay since we were ALL GIRLS FIRST I know that sticks in someones craw so I will just wait for the ignorance to continue the whole damn gay not gay sin not a sin is just crap how does this enrich anyone's life if you aren't gay wow then don't be gay don't push me to be straight Ive been there and done that and it wasn't for me it doesn't make me a bad person I am a very attentive and excellent mother and according to my eight year old my PARTNER is a far better "FATHER" then her real one we love each other and we are a very "NORMAL" and very real FAMILY. I would rather be LOVED as the partner of a homosexual woman than ABUSED as the wife of a straight man. LOVE is LOVE no matter who or where it comes from.

WHAT A FOOL YOU ARE-MOST MEN DO NOT "FLAME" GAYNESS-THAT IS WHAT THE MEDIA WANTS YOU TO BELIEVE-WTF! TWO MEN IN A COMMITED RELATIONSHIP RAISING CHILDREN DO NOT BEHAVE IN A OUTLANDISH FLAMING MANNER-NOT IN MY EXPERIENCE-USUALLT "FLAMERS" ARE LIFETIME PLAYERS WHO NEVER SETTLE DOWN

ummm Really Charliev ? let me guess? your Dad is gay and it scared you for life? Seriously? if that is the case I'm sorry.. However to your comment, BULL CRAP... Children know LOVE and if love is in the home they will do well.. Better than in a dysfunctional hetro home, trust me..

Excuse me, but no. I am a heterosexual woman who was raised by an unhappy heterosexual couple. I would have preferred one of my gay friend couples to raise me in the loving environment they raise their children in than in what I grew up with. The only people who cause it to be damaging to the children are uninformed people like yourself who make them feel like they should be ashamed when they should NOT!

YOU ARE AN IDIOT-KIDS ARE EXPOSED TO GAY LIFE EVERYWHERE, SCHOOL, NEIGHBORHOODS, TV! ITS HOW YOU CHOOSE TO RAISE YOUR KIDS THAT MATTERS-NO CHILD IS BORN WITH HATE OR BIGOTRY-IT IS TAUGHT AND LEARNED. IF PARENTS, MAN/WOMAN OR TWO OF SAME SEX TEACH THEIR KIDS THAT HATE IS NOT TOLERATED, THEN THEY MOST LIKELY WILL NOT HATE UNLESS THEY CAVE TO PEER PRESSURE TO DO SO

This is bs and you know it...having physical attribute of a "girl"does not even begin to address homosexuality...
Science will catch up with society and empirical evidence will prove soon that being gay is a "short " wiring going wrong in the brain...psychologically yes,